Railroad switch



Jan. 12 192s.

0. E. ZIPPERER' RAILROAD SWITCH Filed July 15, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7B Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 12 1926.

O. E. ZIPPERER RAILROAD swIToH Filed Jul'y 13, v1925 Patented Jan. 12, 1926.

i narran l Y@TIS jEv. Z'I'PPEREB., OF COLEMAN, 4IEI'JIOIRJED.

` RAEIJROAD SWITCH.

Application led July 13, 19225- Serial` No .43;352.-

To all witg-,m i1/may concern:

,Be it Vknown that I., @its :Ef :erhmmm .a lcitizen of .the United States, Aresiding at Coleman, .in thecountyyof Sumter and State of Florida, .have invented .certain new and useful Improvements in. Railroad Switches, of which vthe .following is a specification.

This intention .relates .to switches for, railroads ,provided .With means for .locking the l.points position when the main ,line S open; and i,t .Consists-n the novel -oonstruction @d .oombhotoh `of ,tho Parts heli@- inater fully described and claimed.

. In the-drawings, Figure l is a iPlain View of a railroad switch provided .with means 'for locking the points according .to kthis invention. Fig. 2 is aplan view of the Slid-i able tip lock Showing it I11e,tf1-acted and :the rail section. Fig. ySis a .crgssfseetioin taken o n the iline Sfr in Fig. 1, and show ing the operating devices fp r the points. Fig.k 4 `is Aa cross-section, yirfvaken VIon the line 4 4 in Fig. 1, and shovvingthe diskilarnps and their operating -devjices Fig. 5 is a side .view o f ,the stand, looking'ffroin the left in Fig. 1. Fig'.I 6 is a side view cigno of lhe @eccentric locking disks, 4and the tip lc 'l Y The ralSSof'tho main line, andthe rails Q .lofthe :side trak are'spikedrin piace'fin the usual 37,2157 a fdlidvlO are the Ipivotedpoints which connect ythe side itrack `with -Ithe main line. i These tWo pointsV have a couplingbar 12 arranged crossvvi-se off them and permanentlysecured to them. Two sills 14 are arranged under the rails and points, and are similar to the usual ties when extended upon one side of the track.

A locking'shaft 15 is journaled in bearings 16 secured to one of the sills, and projects under one rail and one point. Tivo eccentric locking disks 17 are secured on this shaft, and straddle the said rail andA point when the main line is open so that the points are locked. A locking block 18 is arranged to slide longitudinally upon the lower parts of the rail, and has a beveled tooth 19 on one side which overlaps the tip of the point `and locks it to the rail when the main line is open.

This block is operated from the locking shaft 15 by means of a crank and a connecting-rod 20.k The connecting-rod 20 is preferably formed of two parts having right and left screvvthreaded end portions 21 connected by a turnbuckle 22 so that its length may be varied and adjusted. i One ,end of l g 1,569,6e4

ills blook 118 by o Pin ,2;5., and its. other 'ood is connected to a .Clankepin l26 vvhichV prof jects from one of the eccentric disks 17,.but any .other approved `form of ,crank can bc used when ,the tivo yeccentric idfisks are not' provided. Aspring 27 enjcir'cles the locking shaft 15. 4One end of this spring Lengages with a projection ,2.8A on the shaft, vandfits other end has .an arm 2 9 secured tto .the sill,

zuid this Spring normally Y:holds the .disks S1101v 'pjvptauy to the Closed .pagina ley means ofthe couplingfbar 12 land .any suitable ,points .operating mechanism connected and block in the locked position. A lever 30 to 'ih y@he moans 'or'oporotihg tho .ooh-

tiling-floor' .and the looking ,Shaft- Simultaneoulsly isaghand lever 3 2pivoted bya pin to lugs 34 on a plate 35.'y This plate 3.5 Jis,

secnredon a` vertical shaft A35vvl 1'icl1' f is vjour- .arranged Ato .che Side of Tthe ,vertical sh att. ,cranlifplate 38 is secured lon the `lOSvQer .par-b .offtho vor-tical shaft 3.6, .and iS Pro- .vided with@ .radial .s1ot1377- `and an' adjust- Y ahloorank-pn 3.8 scoured iaith@ LSLlot loohplhs-har rl2 by 21 l.Colmo.Clins-rml v39, and the throw yof the .crank-.pin 38, is adjusted in the slot so as to give the requisite amount of movement to the points.

A push-rod 40is arranged to slide'vertically in guide holes in the stand 37, and the upper end portion of this rod projects through a notch 41 in the plate 35`on the other sideof its axis from the pivot of the hand lever, and thereby normally locks the plate to-the stand. The locking shaft 15 has an arm 42 secured on it, and 43 is a connecting-rod between the arm 42 andthe push-rod 40. A spring 44 is arranged around the push-rod to raise it, and may be used instead of the spring 27 toA hold the points locked, or both springs can'be used.

The hand lever 32 has a cranked fend portion 45 for engaging with the upper end of the push-rod and its notch 41.

46 in the edge of the stand, and also locks the plateto the stand. j

When the hand lever 32 is raised, its

TheYrank-,pin 38 is connected With the l:

When kthe j lever 32 is not in use itl engages with a notchcranked end pushes the push-rod out of the notch in the plate, and take its place in the notch. The push-rod releases the points When thus pushed down, and the points can then be closed by turning the vertical shaft 36 on its axis by means of the hand lever'` 32.

The points can be held in the closed position if desired by means of a catch or latch 48 on the connectingrod 39 which can vbe movedv so as to engage with a stationary projection 49 and prevent the return movement of the points' to the open position.` The points and their locking devices 'can also be operated in other ways besides those described, and they can be operated .by means of electricity or compressed air.

l/Vlicn the points are locked as `hereinbefore described many very. serious accidents are prevented, as the points are locked directly to the rails, and remain locked if any accident to or breakage of their operating devices takes place.

That I claim is: y

l. The combination, with a stationary rail, and a movable point; of a slidablc block for locking the tip of the point to the rail, a locking shaft journaled crosswise` of the rail and point, eccentric locking disks secured on the said shaft and straddling the said point and rail when in the locked position, and a connecting-rod arranged between one of the said eccentric disks and the said slidable block. 2. The combination, With a. stationary' rail, and a movable point; of a locking block slidablev longitudinally on the lower part of the rail and having a tooth on one side Which normally overlaps the tip of the point, a locking shaft journaled crosswise of and projecting under the rail and point, eccentric locking disks secured on the said i shaft and normally arranged to lock the point to the rail, and a connectingrodpivoted to one of the disks and to the said locking block on the other side of the rail from the said tooth. d Y

y The combination, With a stationary rail, and a movable point; of a locking shaft mounted crosswise of the rail and point, a locking device for the rail'and point operatively connected With the locking shaft, a stationary stand, a` vertical shaft journaled in the stand and having a crank `on its lower end, a connecting-rod operating the point from the said crank, a plate secured on thc 4. A combinationof parts asset forth in claim 3, and having also a spring which normally holds the push-rod in the notch of the said plate with the lockingldevice in engagement With the rail and point.'`

5. A combination of parts as setforth` in claim 3,the said standbeing provided with a notch with Which the said hand leverfengages automatically when the push-`rod is raised. t t

6. A combination of `parts as set forth in claim 3, the crank on the lovver end ofthe said vertical shaft beingprovided ,With a radially adjustable crank-pin to vary the extent of movement of the said point. j In testimony whereof I vhave affixed `my signature. l l L OTIS E. ZIPPERER. 

